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Coast Guard rescues 50-year-old Florida man | News - Home
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - A 50-year-old Florida man was rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard crew Wednesday, authorities said.
The diver was reported to be in good condition with no injuries after being rescued 25 miles east of Ponce de Leon Inlet, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
A crew aboard a 45-foot boat was launched to search for the diver. Authorities said the crew arrived at the scene at 6:47 p.m. Wednesday and searched for nearly 10 minutes before finding the diver by his strobe light.
The diver was found inside the projected drift model used by Sector Jacksonville to plan their search patterns, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Crew members took the diver back to the dive boat. Authorities said the diver was examined by EMS upon his return to the boat ramp.
"The successful resolution to this case was due in large part to the diver's use of a strobe light," said Tony Wells, Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville search and rescue controller. "We highly encourage all divers to carry a signaling device and dive in pairs. It can greatly assist rescue teams in the event of an emergency, as we saw in this case."
Other agencies involved in the rescue included a crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a good Samaritan aboard a yacht, authorities said.